Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1887-02-03
through before that fellow Thatcher know!

said Wiles, its Il reasonably sure thing. He
| is delayed two days; he might have been de-
layed longer" Here Mr.. Wiles sighed. If
tue accident had happened on a mountain
road and the stage had been precipitated over
the abyss, what valuable time would have
been saved, and success become surety? But
Mr.. Wies functions as an advocate did not
include murder; at least, he was doubtful if it
could be taxed as costs
ave need have no fears. sir resumed Mr.
Gashwiler; 'the matter is now in the hands of
the highest tribunal of appeal in the country.
1t will meet, sir, with inflexible justice. |
have already prepared some remarks"
"By the way" interrupted Wiles intellect
ously, where's your young man-your pri-
vate secretary-Dobbs!'
The congressman for moment looked con-
fused "He is not here And must correct
your error in applying that term to him. |
have never put my confidence in the hands of
any one"
"But you introduced him 10 me as your sec
retary"
"a mere honorary title, sir A brevet
rank. | might, it is true. have thought to
repose such a trust in him. But l was de-
ceived, sir as | fear | am too apt to be when
| permit my feelings as a man to overcome
my duty as an American legislator. Mr..
Dobbs enjoyed my patronage and the oppor
tunity it gave me to introduce him into pub
lie life only to abuse it. He became, fear,
deeply indebted. His extravaganza was un
limited, his ambition unbounded, but with
out, sir, cash basis. / advanced money to
him from time to time upon the little prop
erty you SO generously extended to him for
his services. But it was quickly dissipated
Yet, sir, such is the ingratitude of mcn that
his family lately appealed to me for assist
ance | felt it was necessary to be stern, and
l refused. l would not for the sake of his
family say anything, but have missed, sir,
books from my library. On the day after he
left two volumes of patent Office reports and
a Blue book Of congress, purchased that day
by me at store on Pennsylvania avenue,
were missinJ-missing. / had difficulty, sir,
great difficulty in keeping it from the papers,"
As Mr.. Wiles had heard the story already
from Gashwilers acquaintance, with more or
less free comment on the gifted legislators
economy, he could not help thinking that the
difficulty had been great indeed. But be only
fixed his malevolent eye on Gashwiler and
sail:
$50 he is gone, chg
"Yes"
"And you've made an enemy of him? That's
bad"
Mr. Gashwiler tried to look dignfiedly un-
concerned; but something in his visitors
manner made him uneasy.
Il say it is bad, if you have. Listen. Be
fore left here, found at a boarding house
where he had boarded, and still owed bill, a
trunk which the landlord retained Opening
it, found some letters and papers of yours,
with certain memoranda of his, which L
thought ought to be in your possession. AS
an alleged friend of his, redeemed the trunk
by paying the amount of his bill, and secured
the more valuable papers"
Gashwier, whose face had grown apoplec-
tically suffused as Wiles went on, at last
gasped: But you got the trunk, and have the
papers!"
unfortunately, no, and that's why it's
bad"
But, good God! what have you done with
them"
"I've lost them somewhere on the Overland
road"
Mr. Gashwiler sat for few moments
speechless vacillating between purple rage
and pallid fear. Then he said hoarsely:
"They are all blank forgeries-every one of
them"
"Oh, no." said Wiles, smiling blandly on
his dexter side, and enjoying the whole scene
malevolently with his sinister eye. "Your
papers are all genuine, and l won't say are
not all right, but unfortunately had in the
same bag some memoranda of my own for
the use of my client, that, you understand,
might be put to some bad use If found by
clever man."
The two rascals looked at each other. There
is on the whole really very little honor
among thiev es-at least great ones-and the
inferior rascal succumbed at the reflection Of
what he might do if lie were in the other ras-
calls place. See here, Whes, he said, relaxing
his dignity with the perspiration that oozed
from every pore, and made the collar of his
shirt mere limp rag "See here, we"-this
first use of the plural was equivalent to a con-
fession-"we must get them papers"
"Of course" said Wiles coOlly, 'if we can,
and if Thatcher doesn't get wind Of them"
He cannot"
"He was on the coach when | lost them,
coming east"
Mr.. Gashwiler paled again. In the emer-
gencv he had recourse to the sideboard and a
bott. =, forgetting Wiles. Ten minutes be
fore Wiles would have remained seated: but
it is recorded that he rose, took the bottle
from the gifted Gashwiler's fingers, helped
himself first, and then sat down.
ayes, but, my boy" said Gashwiler. now
rapidly changing situations with the cooler
Wiles; "yes, but, old fellow" he added, pok-
ing Wiles with fat forefnger, don't you see
the whole thing will be up before he gets here"
YES" said Wiles gloomily, "but those lazy,
easy, honest men have way of popping up |
just at the nick of time They never need |
hurry; all things wait for them. Why, don't |
you remember that on the very day Mrs.
Hopkinson and l and you got the president |
to sign that patent, that very day one of them |
d-n fellows turns up from San Francisco |
or Australia, having taken his own time to
get here-gets here about half an hour after
the president had signed the patent and sent
it over to the office, finds the right man to
him to the president, has talk
with him, makes him sign an order counter
manding its issuance and undoes all that has
been done in six years in one hour
'Yes, but congress is tribunal that does
not revoke its decrees. said Cash wiler with